Valve mechanism for musical instruments and the like.



L. H. MAIER.

VALVE MECHANISM FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILEDMAY 2 1913.

1,207,779. Patented Dec.12,1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1- J1.H.,Waer

L. H. MAIER.

VALVE MECHANISM FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS AND-THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 2. I9I3 1,207,779. Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

'2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

LOUIS H. MAIER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

VALVE MECHANISM FOR MIISICAL INSTRUMENTS AND THE LIKE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 12, 1916.

Application filed May 2, 1913. Serial No. 765,003.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS H. MAIER, a citizen of the United States, andresident of New York city, borough of the Bronx, in the county of NewYork and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Valve Mechanisms for Musical Instruments and the like,of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the valve mechanism orcontrolling devices adapted to regulate or control the flow of airthrough the pneumatic or bellows customarily employed in automaticmusical instruments, such as player pianos.

In carrying out my invention in conjunction with striker neumatics Iprovide a pneumatic or bellows normally open to atmosphere, a valve tocoact with a seat to shut off atmosphere from said pneumatic, an exhaustor suction chest having an apertured seat to coact with said valve whenthe latter is off the first named seat, and means controlled by thetraveling music sheet, when passing over the tracker, to operate saidvalve, whereby when the valve is raised from the perforated seat it willshut off atmosphere from the pneumatic and provide communication throughsaid perforated seat between said chest and pneumatic to cause thelatter to collapse by exhaust therefrom through the perforated seat intothe exhaust chest, and whereby when said valve is next'located upon saidperforatedseat it will shut off suction from the pneumatic and open thelatter to atmosphere. By this means I am enabled to provide a valvemechanism for the purpose stated, wherein the normal atmosphericpressure, due to the partial vacuum in the suction chest, may be greatlyreduced upon the valve, thereby requiring less valve actuating efi'ort,resulting in less exertion in pumping than ordinarily required withcustomary puppet valves used to control the operation of the pneumatics.

My invention further comprises novel details of improvement andcombinations of parts that will be more fully hereinafter setforth' andthen pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had'to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof,wherein,

Figure 1 is a cross sectional View of a portion ofan automatic playermechanism embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional face view of oneof the valve seats shown in Fig. 1; Fig.3 is a section on the line 3, 3,in Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a plan view illustrating the flexible support forthe valve; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the chest valve seat; Fig. 6 is aview similar to Fig. 1, illustrating modified means for controllingthe.valve; F ig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1, illustrating furthermodified means for controlling the valve" and modified valve and valveseats; Fig. 8 isa detail view of a modified valve seat 5; Fig. 9 is adetail view of the means for actuating the valve of Fig. 7; Fig. 10 is aplan view of seat 9 of Fig. 7; Fig. 11 is a detail of the lower valveseat of Fig. 7 modified; Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 7 includingthe passages 2; Fig. 13 is a plan view on the line 13, 13, in Fig. 12;Fig. 14 is a sectional view illustrating a further modification of valveseat 5, and showing the pneumatic in a different position from thatshown in the preceding views; Fig. 15 is a sectional view illustrating amodification hereinafter explained; Fig. 16 is a view similar to Fig. 1in the operated position; Fig. 17 is a section on the line 17, 17, inFig. 16; Fig. 18 illustrates my improvements applied in a power orpumping bellows, and Fig. 19 is. a plan view of the valve of Fig. 18.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in theseveral views.

In the drawings the numeral 1 indicates a power pneumatic or bellows ofany suitable or wellknown construction, communieating with one or moreports or passages 2 in communication with a valve recess 3 having normalcommunication with atmosphere as through a port or passage 4. In Figs.1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 12 and 16 I have shown the port or passage 4 as providedin a plug or casing 5 that is seated in a bore in the board 1 of thepneumatic that covers recess'3, which plug has a chamber 5 communicatingwith port 4, concentric inner and outer seats 5 5 being providedadjacent to said chamber. In the form shown in Figs. 1, 6 and 16 theports or passages 2 are shown as holes formed in the board 1 outside ofplug 5. In Figs. 7 and 12 the passage 2 is formed centrally in the plug5, Fig. 12 also showing the holes 2 in board 1. In Figs. 14 and 15 thepassage 4 is provided in the form of a hole in the board 3 and receivesa plug 5 carried on a bridge 5 secured on said board providing seats 55, said bridge providing spaces at its sides for communication of recess3 with atmosphere. At 7 is a chest in which suction or exhaust ismaintained by any suitable power bellows or the like 25 through pipe 8in a well known'manner. At 9 is a seat plug fitted in a hole in theboard 10 between recess 3 and chest 7, and shown provided with inner andouter concentric seats 9 9 inclosing passages 9 in said plug, whereby aperforated valve seat is provided for the control of air flowing fromrecess 3 to chest 7. At 11 is indicated, generally, a valve, to coactwith the seats of plugs 5 and 9, as said valve plays between said seats.In Figs. 1, 7, 12, 14, 15 and 16 said valve is carried by a flexiblesupport, shown in the form of a disk 12 having a plurality of flexibleextensions or arms 12 (Figs. 4 and 13), shown secured at their ends tothe boards of the chest, whereby said valve is free to play between theperforated seats, and air may flow around said valve between the arms 12in Figs. 1, 6, 12, 14 and 16. Valve 11 is shown provided with an uppervalve piece 11 and a lower valve piece 11 to co act respectively withthe seats of plugs 5 and 9, and said valve may be provided with astiffening disk 13 of metal. In Fig. 6 the valve 11, instead of beingcarried by the flexible arms 12*, is secured to stem 14, shown guided inbores in plugs 5 and 9. In Figs. 1, 14 and 16 stem 14 is only guided inplug 9 and bears against valve 11 to push it toward seats 5", 5.

In Figs. 1, 6, 14 and 16 there is a seat 9 (Fig. 5) surrounding stem 14against which valve 11 may fit, thereby enabling said stem to fit freelyin its guiding bore and still prevent suction afiecting the valveadjacent to the stem outwardly to the inner seat 9 thus reducingatmospheric pressure upon the valve in relation to the suction in chest7 that otherwise would be effective through such bore. In other words,by having the seat 9 to coact with the valve, I cut off from the valvethe influence of the suction that would be operative holding the valveto its seat in the absence of such seat 19 In Figs. 7, 12 and 15,instead of using a central stem 14 I have shown a plurality of spacedarms 15 passing through holes in plug 9. As in Fig. 10, the arms 15 maypass through the large air openings in the valve plug, while in Fig. 11spaced holes 15 may be provided for said arms. The lower ends of stem 14and arms 15 rest upon a diaphragm 16 located at the recess 17 of chest 7that communicates with port 18 of bore 19 of said chest board, whichbore communicates by a tube 20 with a tracker orifice in a well knownmanner. The bleed 21 provides communication between chest 7 and bore 19.

In Figs. 1, 6, l4 and 16 valve 11 is imperforate, so as to close againstseats 5 5, and 9 9", 9 respectively, allowing air to flow from thepneumatic to recess 3 through passages 2 without regard to said valve.In Fig. 7, however, where passage 2 is centrally disposed within plug 5,the valve 11 is shown centrally perforated at 11 so that when it israised against seats 5 5 to shut off recess 3 from atmosphere, apassageway is provided from the pneumatic through passage 2 and thevalve opening 11 to recess 3. In Fig. 12 the passages 2 in the board 1are provided, in addition to the perforated valve and plug 5 of Fig. 7,allowing a more free flow of air from or to the pneumatic. In Fig. 15the valve 11 is also centrally perforated at 11 but the seat 9 surroundsthe opening 22 of tube 22 that communicates with passage 2, the seat 9surrounding and being concentric with opening '22, whereby when valve 11closes upon seats 5", 5, the recess 3 and chest 7 will be incommunication through the passages between seats 9 and 9", which willalso be in communication with the pneumatic through 22, 22 and 2.

In accordance with my invention, when a note tracker orifice connectedwith tube 20 is closed by the traveling music sheet, the suction inchest 7,. operating through the perforated plug 9, with assistance ofbleed 21, causes valve 11 to rest upon the seats 9. 9", 9, shutting offcommunication through the passage or passages between said seats, thusclosing communication between recess 3 and chest 7, whereupon thepneumatic will be expanded. hen, however, a perforation in such notesheet opens communication through tube 20 to atmosphere, diaphragm 16will be bulged causing valve 11 to be raised from seats 9, 9 9 and closeagainst seats 5", 5, opening communication between recess 3 and chest 7through perforations in valve seat plug 9 and closing communicationbetween recess 3 and atmosphere at seats 5". 5, whereupon suction inchest 7, drawing air from the pneumatic through passage or passages 2and through the perforations in the valve seat plug 9, causes thepneumatic to collapse, such air from recess 3 flowing around and underthe valve in Figs. 1 to 6,

. atlluimumwtl..

12, 1e, 15 and 16, and flowing through the valve from the pneumatic intorecess 3, as in Figs. 7 and 12, or under the valve and directly fromopening into the passages in valve seat. 9, as in Fig. 15.

In Fig. 18 my improved perforated valve and valve seat are shownprovided on the power or pumping bellows 25 that may be of any usualconstruction. In this case I have shown each board of the bellowsprovided with the perforated seat plug 9 having the concentric seats 9,9 and the air spaces 9 that may be arranged in accordance with thatshown in Fig. 8. The valve 11 is guided by a stem 26 secured centrallyupon plug 9 and a spring 27 hearing against said valve and against thestud 28 on said stem normally retaining said valve upon its seat. Thevalves are so arranged as to provide suction within the chest 29, andwhen the board 25 is pushed away'froni board 25 as illustrated in Fig.18, the valve 11 upon board 25" will remain seated and the valve 11 uponboard 25 will open, thereby drawing air from chest 29 into the bellows,and when the spring 30 collapses the bellows the valve upon the board 25closes and valve 11 upon board 25 opens, permitting the last named airto escape from the bellows. WVith my improvements applied upon such apower bellows the tension of the spring 30 may be reduced over thatcustomarily employed with an ordinary fiat valve, by rea son of suchatmospheric pressure being upon the valve 11, because the perforatedvalve 11, as shown in Fig. 19, may be used in this connection. Thisarrangement enables a relatively small movement of the valve to takeplace for a relatively large flow of air through the valve seat, andthereby enables a relatively small valve to be used.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that by means of my improvements Iam enabled to utilize valves easily operative, and allowing much air toflow when raised but a relatively slight distance from their seats,while at the same time reducing the amount of air needed to operate suchdevices, since the relative area exposed to the suction in chest 7 maybe reduced to an area corresponding to the lift of the valve to supplythe required volume of air at any moment. This is advantageous in playerpiano mechanisms since it is a desideratum that the valves should havequick action with slight resistance thereby enabling lower tension andless volume of air to be utilized, whereby the effort of operating thepower bellows is reduced.

While I have described my invention as applied in connection withsuction or exhaust, it will, of course, be understood that the inventionmay be used in conjunction with air pressure, and it will also beunderstood that changes may be made in the details of construction andarrangements of parts shown and described, within the scope of theappended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having now described my invention what I claim is l. The combination ofa valve, with a plurality of seats in position to cooperate with saidvalve and having one or more openings between said seats for the fiow ofair ftherethrougli when the valve is be the seats, and spaced flexiblearms connected with said valve, a stem to operate said valve whereby itmay vibrate on said arms, a seat for said valve around said stem andwithin said first named seats, and a flexible diaphragm to control saidstem.

2. The combination of a valve, with a plug having a chamber having anoutlet and seats surrounding the outlet of said chamber to coact withsaid valve, with flexible arms spaced apart supporting said valve, said,plug having a central bore, and a seat for said valve around said borewithin the first named seat, a stem for said valve slidable in saidbore, and a diaphragm to control said stem.

3. The combination of a valve having opposed members, concentric seatson one side of the valve having one or more openings therebetween,concentric seats on the opposite side of the valve having one or moreopenings therebetween, and flexible means between the opposed membersand connected with said valve to permit it to move between said seats.

4. The combination of a valve, concentric seats on one side of the valvehaving one or more openings therebetween, concentric seats on theopposite side of the valve having one or more openings therebetween, andflexible means connected with said valve to permit it to move betweensaid seats, said valve having an opening to communicate with one of thefirst named openings.

5. The combination of a valve, a plug on one side of said valve havingconcentric seats, said plug having one or more openings adjacent saidseats, and a plug on the opposite side of said valve having seats, saidplug having a chamber adjacent said seats and provided with an openingfor the flow of air therethrough.

6. The combination of a valve, a plug on one side of said valve havingconcentric seats, said plug having one or more openings adjacent saidseats, and a plug on the opposite side of said valve having seats, saidplug having a chamber adjacent said seats and provided with an openingfor the flow of air therethrough, said plug having a passagetherethrough, said valve having an opening in position to connect withsaid passage.

7 The combination of a pneumatic having a board provided With a passagefor com- Signed at New York city, in the county of 10 munication withatmosphere, a plug carried New York and State of New York, this 30th bysaid board and having concentric seats day of April, A. D. 1913.

and a chamber opening between said seats and having an opening forcommunication LOUIS H. MAIER. with atmosphere through said passage, a

valve to coact with said seats, said pneumatic WVitnesses:

having a recess containing said seats and T. F. BoURNE,

valve, and means for operating said valve. MARIE F. VVAINRIGHT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0.-

